I rehearsed last night with the Main Squeeze Orchestra. I’d never seen them before, only heard about them. When I moved to NYC, I asked around about accordion repair shops and Walter Kuhr’s Main Squeeze came up. I never went to his shop.
Then, I heard that he’d started an accordion orchestra. An all-female orchestra. I thought that was a cool idea but still had never gone to see them. Until last night when my directions brought me to a classroom tucked away near Chinatown to 13 ladies with accordions led by a German man at the front.
I suddenly got shy for some reason. I think it was because it was a classroom but who knows. So, I went to the back of the room and sat as they rehearsed the Brandenburg Concerto. As I listened, I thought, this man is brilliant. 13 girls playing Bach may sound nerdy in theory but to see and hear it is beautiful. Different girls with different accordions. Small accordions. Bass accordions. Main Squeeze accordions. What heaven this man must face each week.
The next piece was Bohemian Rhapsody. I sang from the back for I was still feeling the shy. I felt like a choir boy singing with them. And when it was over, Walter pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and wiped a tear. What a lucky man.
photo by Kathleen Laziza
